Project: strengthening the impact of the investments on food security and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector
Duration: 2012
Budget: 5.300.000 euro
beneficiary: Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF)
In mutual agreement with the donor community, Malawi is taking steps towards a form of sectorial budget support within the agricultural sector. This so called ASWAp is not operational yet, but in anticipation, the ASWAp-Support Programme has already been started up. The financing of this ASWAp-SP goes through a Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) which is managed by the World Bank. In 2012, The Government of Flanders decided to contribute to this fund.
An amount of 5,300,000 euros was earmarked to co-finance the MDTF.
The main goals of the ASWAp-SP are strengthening the impact of the investments on food security and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector, as well as reinforcing the natural resources by doubling the size of the area used for sustainable farming. This way, ecosystem services and sustainable agriculture productivity are guaranteed.
The MDTF’s goal is to strengthen the impact of the ASWAp-SP on food security and growth.
Within the ASWAp-SP three target areas are tackled:
- food security and risk management
- commercial agriculture, agro-processing and market development
- sustainable land and water management
Therefore, two crucial services are used:
- development and distribution of technology
- institutional strengthening and capacity building
The service of development and distribution of technology also includes agricultural extension.
Since 2009 already, the Government of Flanders had been supporting the Department of Agricultural Extension Services (DAES) within the Malawian Ministry of Agriculture. Around that time a broad programme working on the challenges of agricultural extension was also started. However, further support is needed. Recently, within the same framework, supplementary financing was granted to the NGO "Small Scale Livestock and Livelihoods Program". At the same time Agribusiness Systems International (ASI) received support to implement sms technology within DAES, and the Natural Resources College (NRC), where extension workers are trained, can count on extra budget.
Because of the many years that the Government of Flanders has been involved in agricultural extension work, FICA will be appointed “lead donor” for this part of the ASWAp-SP.